Automatic apparatus for aerial photography.



A. BfBARON & c'. M." A. GUINARD. AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

APPLICATION FILED 1550-3. I9l2 Patented J an.16, 1917 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 fill 7271 70155 Auquswe BIOISQ Baron, Char rie [es Ma #1 71mm? 7 A ya; 6&4

A Guma rd,

A. B. BARO N & c.- AL GUINARD. AUTOMATIC'APPARATUS FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY."

. .APPLICATION FILED DEC.3. 19 12. I I I 1,212,884; Patented Jan .16,1917.' A 3 suns-smear z.

A yqusi'e i Blaise Ba rori, Charles Marie A.Guinard,

UNITED STATES PATENT onrion.

AUGUSTE BLAISE BARON AND CHARLES MARIE ARTHUR GUINARD, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that we, AUGUSTE BLAISE BARON, of 155 Boulevard de Magenta, en-

gineer, and CHARLES MARIE ARTHUR GUIN- Ann, of 8 Avenue de lOpra, armorer, both in the city of Paris, Republic of, France, have invented an Automatic Apparatus for Aerial Photography, of which the following is a full, clean-and exact description. I The invention has for its object an apparatus adapted to be secured under the car of a dirigible balloon,'or the frame of an aeroplane, and allowing the automatic photographic recording, on an endless film unwound in an intermittent manner, of all grounds overflow'n by any aerial machine whatever; the successive images thus obtained may serve either for military reconnoiterings 'or for making out topographic cards, or for any other use. The pellicular images can also serve for knowing the altitude at which they have been registered, as Well as the real speed of the flying machine carrying the apparatus. Infact, the exact optical angle of the objective used being known, as well as the surface covered by this objective at a determined altitude, it will be 'easy to find the latter by measuring the ground embraced by the images with a card of the region traveled over. Moreover, knowing the speed at which is unwound the film which is driven by a clock work motor provided with an indicating brake, it will also be very easy to know the *distance traveled by the objective during a given time and, consequently, tov determine the exact speed of the flying machine relatively to the ground, a result which actually cannot be obtained by any measuring apparatus.

The present apparatus is essentially characterized by the combination: of an optical dark camera inclosed in a box,-of a motor automatically insuring the unwinding of the film,and of a shutter controlled by the motor so as to be released at the precise moment when the film stops in front of the objective.

The pellicular band, drawn by an operating device working in an intermittent manner, moves in a slide in which it stops at the focus of the objective at the required moment for the exposure.

The driving roller is directly actuated by the driving device .by means of suitably toothed pinions, one of which is arranged, so as to gear on a part of its periphery only Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1c, 1917.

Application filed December. 3, 1912.. Serial No. 734,674.

and to turn freely during the remainder of its revolution, thus alternately drawing or gelaving at rest the winding cylinder of the The variousparts of the apparatus are so calculated that the speed with which the film urrwinds and the stopping of. the same should bear a relation to the speed of'the vehicle carrying the said apparatus, so that the images obtained on the pellicular band 7 slightly overlap each other in order that there may be no break of continuity in the taking of the panoramic view of the aerial travel. A brake, adjustable at will, allows of moderating or accelerating the 'speed'of the motor according to'the speed offthe flyingmachine. r

The invention is illustrated by way of exanlnplfi in the accompanying drawings, in WllC Figure 1 shows in elevation a photographic apparatus arranged. according to the principle of the invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom view; Fig. 3 is an end view showing in detail the speed regulator; Fig. 4 is a .vertical section made according to linegA-a-A of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectionmade according to line BB of Fig. 4'; Fig. 6 is a detail view of the intermittent operating device for the film.

. As illustrated in the drawings, the present photographic apparatus comprises a rec-' tangular box a (Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, 5), called magazine-box, in the lower face of which is provided an opening situated opposite the objective 6. The interior of the rectangular box a is divided by walls forming at the center a dark camera 0 (Figs. A and 5) and the film d passes over a second guideroller g and to an operating cylinder h where itsintermittent winding is obtained by means of the devices described hereafter.

The motor adapted to draw the film is composed of a frame 2' (Figs. 1, 2, 3) carry- Issuing from the slidesaid disk. The disk 9 receives a continuous rotary motion from a pinlon r gearing Wltlib inga barrel j containing a spring which is wound up by means of a crank la and of a shaft [a supporting a conical pinion [0 gearing with a toothed wheel k rigidly mounted on the axis of the barrel. The latter is provided at itsupper end with atoothed wheel Z actuating, by means of intermediary wheels Z P, a ball regulator m. At the lower end of the barrel j is secured a toothed wheel a gearing with another toothed wheel n secured on a shaft 0 on which fits the winding cylinder h. The wheel 11. is toothed on 50f its periphery and is toothed on its underside so as to gear with a conical pinion p actuating the device of the shutter. The wheel a the periphery of which corresponds to the of that of the wheel nis toothed on its entireperiphery. The rotary movement of the wheel n integral with the barrel j and rotating therewith, is thereforetransmitted to the wheel 11? so long as the teeth on its periphery are in'gear with those of said wheel n As soon as the smooth part of the wheel n passes opposite the teeth of the wheel 01?, as the latter is not actuated it remains stationary and ceases to draw and wind uptthe film on the cylinder k. This stopping movement corre- :sponds to the opening of the shutter of 'the,--

objective. This shutter is composed of a disk 9 (Fig. l), toothed on its; periphery, and of a blind g moving'at will in front of the teeth of the disk and mounted on the same shaft as the wheel 1) actuated by the barrel 'The disk 9 as well as the blind g is provided with an opening 8 or 3 having the same diameter as the lens Toftthe objectivea The blind Q1, pivoting about an axis 9 is when released brought back against a stop 9 under the action of a returning Springg. The disk g and the blind g support on the oppositely arranged faces two toothed sectors 2t and t capable of gearingthe one with the otheraccording to thelposition of the disk 9. p The shutter operates automatically in the following manner: The disk q-constantly actuated by the pinion 7' rotates about its axis. As long as the toothed sector 25 supported on the outer face pf the disk does not gear with the corresponding toothed sector t carried by the inner face of the blind g the latter is held stationary against thestop 9 by the spring 9*. The disk q continuing'itsrotary movement, the teeth of the sectors t and t gear together, the disk 9 drives along with it the blind g rotating aboutit's axis and causes it to pivot until the two-sectors t and t cease to gear together; the blind g is then suddenly brought; back to its stopping position by the action of the returning spring g. T he moment at which theblind q ceases to be actuated by the disk q and at which it suddenly escapes isv calculated for mathematically corresponding to the moment the opening 8 of the disk q is exactly opposite the objective I). The opening 8 1n the blind g is so situated that there is always a solid part of the latter coverlng the objective until the precise moment'of its re leasing when the opening 8 of the disk g registers with the objective. As it possesses also a solid part above the opening 8 it follows therefrom that whatever may be the position of the disk 9 and of the blind 9 the objective is uncovered only'by the releasing of the blind g and the passage of its opening 8 in front of it; I

The differences in the speed with which the sensitive film, d is wound on the cylinder h are obtained by means of an adjustable brake (Fig. 3) an index w movable on a graduated sector 3 and theypos'ition of which on this sector indicates the speed of the motor. Therefore it sufiices to turn the screw a until the needle w is brought opposite the desired number, in order that this position corresponds to a slowing down orto an accel eration of working of theoperating barrel 7 and, consequently, of the intermittent winding of the film'd on the cylinder 11.. i

A stoprodz allows of putting the entire it at will. For putting the apparatus in operation, it sulfices therefore to place on the cylinder e a film roll of any desired length,

to cause this film to pass on the'guide g, to;-

engageit in the slide arranged at the end of the dark camera, after causingiit to pass behind the second guide g ,'and to bring-titon the winding cylinder -h-by winding it thereon two or three turns for'tighteningit' and'preventing it from escaping;

The stop rod 2: of the motor will-be disengaged" only at the moment ofibe'ginning infinite and having a minimum optical angle 1 of 70. The operating roller b has a diameter so calculated that'each stopping period.

corresponds to a windingv of the film on an extent having the length of the. size of. the

optical chamber. The diameter of the operating roller increasing in a continuous manner by reason ofthe thicknessof the film" wound, the images will be more and more spaced apart, without this spacing apart 100 driving system in operation or of stopping having any efl'ect on the clarness and size of the image. I

The ratios between the wheels n and n are so calculated that the part of the wheel n gearing with the wheel 92 corresponds to a full revolution of the latter. In these conditions, the optical angle of 70 giving 560 meters of photographed ground on an image of 9 cm.x9 cm. at the altitude of 400 meters, if the flying machine moves with a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, that is to say 1 kilometer per minute, it will suffice to place the index of the indicator of the regulator on number 30 which indicates that the barrel effects a full revolution in 30 seconds. Consequently, the apparatus traveling 500 me-' ters in 30 seconds and the image obtained registering 560 meters, each successive image taken in these conditions will'encroach 60 meters on the adjacent images, thus giving,

a succession of images showing, without break of continuity, all the ground overfiown by the flying machine,'each image representing a travel inthe space of halfa kilo:

meter; a 'travel'of 4:0 kil0meters' will therefore represent 80 successive images of 9 centimeters, that is to say a pellicular band of 7 m.'20.

If therunriing of thefiying machine.

should slow down or accelerate, or should the altitude vary, it would suffice to move theindex of the indicator according to a diagram easy to establish, in order to obtain always a correlation between the running of said machine and the speed of the intermittent winding of the film.

The arrangements indicated above are given by way of example, the forms, sizes and detail devices may vary according to circumstances without modifying the principle of the invention Claims:

1. A panoramic photographic apparatusfor recording on a film, grounds overflown by an aerial machine, comprising a box having an opening'in its bottom and inclosing a dark camera, an objective at the base of said dark camera opposite the opening of the box, a variable speed motor adjustable at will for the 'automaticintermittent unwinding of the film, and a shutter for the objective, actuated by the motor at the mooverflown by an aerial machine, comprising a box inclosing'a dark camera, an objective at the base of said dark camera, a motorffor the automatic intermittent unwinding of the I film, Wheels for the transmission of movement, one of which is secured at the base of the barrel and is toothed on a part of its periphery only, another toothed wheel gear ing with the wheel of the barrel, an axle supporting this second wheel and onwhich' is mountedthe winding "drum of the wheel inforder that said drum 'should be driven only when the teeth offthefvvheel of the drum are in gear withithe wheel supporting the axle of 'the' drum a movable rod for stopping the motor, a ball regulator for regulating the movementrof the motor; and a shutter for the objective, controlled by the motor, j

,, '4.'A-panoramio photographic apparatus 'for" recording on an endless film, grounds overfiown by an aerial machine, comprising abox inclosing a dark camera, an objective at the base of said dark camera, a variable speed motor adjustable at will, wheels for the transmission ofmovement, a ball regulator, meanjsiforintermittently drawing along the film and for causing thetaking of the image to correspond to the stopping moment of the film for obtaining a succession of images the edges of which overlap each other so .as to obtain a non-interrupted representation of the overfiown grounds, and a shutter for the objective.

'5. A panoramic photographic apparatus for recording on an endless film, grounds overflown by an vaerial machine, comprising a box inclosing a dark camera,.an objective at the base, of said dark camera, a variable speed'motor adjustable at will constituted by a spring barrel, wheels for the transmission of movement, a ball regulator, a de-,

vice for slowing down atwill the speed of the motor, constituted by a bent lever, a

plate integral with the regulator and on which presses the lever, a screw for the displacement of the bent lever, a toothed pinion mounted on this screw, wheels for the transmission of movement for actuatingan index, a graduated sector arranged behind the index and opposite one of the graduations of which the index is brought by the displacement of the screw, and a shutter for the objective actuated-by the motor at the moment the film stops.

'6. A panoramic photographic apparatus forrecording on a film, groundsoverflown byan aerial machine, comprising a box inclosing a dark camera, an objective atthe base of said dark camera, a variable speed motor'adjustable at will, a movable rod for stopping the motor, a shutter for the objective, constituted by a disk-toothed on its P r p y,

lprovided with an openin and gearing wit a toothed pinion integra with i the barrel, a blind hinged on an axis, 'prodriven by the said means to cover the ob:-.

' uopening in the disk is opposite the objective. "jective, and means for 'moving the device 40 the box, a variable speed motor adjustable adapted to cover-the aperture-0f the"shutterf. I

i aperture exactly registers-with the objective.

. 9. A photographic apparatus comprising Witnesses! means for moving the by; an aerial machine, comprising a box havment of the stopping of the film Beer cow 1,212,884

: vided with an opening and drawn back by jective while the film is'moving,';a device a spring, a stop for. limiting the stroke of forcovering the shuttenwhile the same is the blind, and toothedsectors respectively moving across the objective; a driving con integralwith the-disk and with the blind for nection whereby; the shutter moves "the said lifting-the latter and releasing itwhen the device until the shutter uncovers thejo 7.-A' panoramic photographic apparatus to uncover the shutter when-the latter-utifor recording on a film, grounds overflowncovers the objective. .1

mg an opening in-its bottom and in'cl osing' anobjective; a rotary 'disk; having an-aper a dark camera, an objective at the base of ture adaptedto move-into and out of regi' said dark camera opposite the opening of try with the objective, aswinging devi at will for the automatic intermittent unas the-latter is movinginto registry-with winding of the, film, and a shutter for the the objective,gears, on-the shutter and de-,-

objective, actuated by the motor'at the movice for moving the latter. by the shutter, f

and a v spring, adapted. to be placed under 8. A panoramic L hotographie apiillatlls tension as the said device is moved with 7 comprising means or moving the objective through which successive portions the. device to shutter-uncovering il osition of; the film are exposed, a continuously-ro- "when the aperture of the shutter registers tating disk having an aperture adapted to with the objective. I register with theiobjective; means for cov- The foregoing specification vof our autoering the apertu're'as the same is moving matic apparatus for aerial photography,

an the shutter, and serving toquickly return over the objective,- and means for 'quickly signed by us this tWe ntyfifth day of Octo removing the lastmentioned means from her 1912. v over the aperture of the disk when the said. AUGUSTE BLAISE BARON.

CHARLES mam RTHUR GUINARIK).

' HENRY GUIiIARD,

, an objective p I Looms MEMMINGER.

through which the isexposed; ash'utter" 

